Colombia-Venezuela divide widens

Bogota accuses Caracas of blowing up pedestrian bridges between two countries.

20 Nov 2009 02:08 GMT

Chavez, left, and Colombia president Alvaro Uribe have locked horns over the bases' use [AFP]

'Prepare for war'

Al Jazeera's Monica Villamizar, reporting from the Colombian capital Bogota, said there was a real fear among local residents that the current tensions could escalate into a conflict with Venezuela.

Tensions have grown between the two countries after Bogota granted the US more access to its military bases – a move the US and Colombia say is to help in the Latin American country's fight against drugs and leftist fighters.

Venezuela's president recently told his armed forces to "prepare for war", saying the US-Colombia military pact could set the stage for a US invasion.

Chavez's comments sparked clashes on the Colombia-Venezuela border last week, where Colombians fought with Venezuelan border guards who responded by firing tear gas.